Automobile parking machine



Sept. 29, 1925. 1,555,692

J. E. MORTON AUTOMOBILE PARKING MACHINE Filed 0d 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTORS J [5. 71102"! on ATTORNEYS Sept. 29, 1925. 1,555,692

J. E. MORTON AUTOMOBILE PARKING IACHINI Filed Oct. 9, 1924 I5SheetS-Sheet 2 T E. Jitirton BY 272mm ATTORNEYS Sept. 29, 1925.1,555,692

J. E. MORTON AUTOMOBILE PARKING mamas Filed Oct. 9, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet5 INVENTORS I E. Jlforion ATTOR N EYS Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. HORTON, OF WEST LAFAYETTE, IN DIANA, ASSIGNOB TO JAMES H.HOVEE'I'Y,

' OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

AUTOMOBILE PARKING uacnnm.

1pp11cation filed October 9, 1924. Ierial No. 742,781.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. MORTON, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of West Lafayette, in the county of Tip canoeand State ofIndiana, have invente a new and Improved-Automobile Parking Machine, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to automobile parkin machines, an object of theinvention bem to rovide a machine of this character whic W11 be in thenature of a double elevator, com risinga plurality of vertically andlatera y movable platforms so that a relatively large number of care maybe supported and stored and conveniently entered and discharged whileoccupying but a relatively small ground space.

While I have referred and shall refer to my improved device as anautomobile parking machine, it is obvious that I do not w1sh to belimited to the particular use of the machine asthe same general ideasareapplicable to many uses, and I desire to cover the machine broadlyfor any use to which it can be put.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automobile parkingmachine which is a complete unit within itself and which may be erectedsingly or in batteries for the parking of automobiles at public arkingstations, garages, apartment houses, department stores, officebuildings, factories, theatres, amusement arks, and, in fact, any placewhere automobiles are to be parked in lar e numbers.

Wit these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations and arrangements ofparts which W111 be more full hereinafter described and pointed out in te claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in end elevation of myimproved machine;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation taken at right angles to Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view with certain details in section;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic elevation;

Figure 5 is a detail fragmentary perspective View;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in transverse section through the upperportion of the machine.

I shall employ the terms In connection with my improved machine I employany suitable framework, indicated by t e reference numeral 1. This framcwork is necessarily in the form of a tower, and for convenience ofdescription and particularly wth reference to Fi ures 1 and 2 front,rear and right and left hand sides.

The frame 1 provides mounting at its top and bottom and at the left-handside for a series of preferably four) sprocket wheels 2, 3, 4 an 5. Thes rocket wheels 2 and 3 are at the top of the ameand the sprocket wheels4 and 5 are at the bottom of the frame, and an endless chain or otheranalogous flexible connecting device 6 is mounted on the sprocketwheels, the right and left-hand runs 7 and 8 of this sprocket chainbeing relatively lon so as to accommodate the number of fplat orms 9desired. 7 At the rear 0 the frame and at the righthand side thereof Iprovide four sprocket wheels 10, 11, 12 and 13, the sprocket wheels 10and 11 bein at the top of the frame and the sprocket w eels 12 and 13being at the bottom of the frame. Around these s rocket wheels 10, 11,12 and 13 a sprocket ciiain 14 is mounted, the left-hand vertical run 15of the chain 14 being located in a plane to the left of the right-handvertical run 7 of chain 6, as shown in Figure 1.

The platforms 9 above referred to are designed to sup ort automobiles orother vehicles or artic es, and each platform is pro- .vided atdiagonally opposite corners with relatively long ins 16 which haveermanent mounting in bearings 17 constituting brackets forming a fixedpart of the chains. For example, the platforms 9 at the left of Figure 1have their forward long pintles at the left-hand side of the platformswhich are connected to the left-hand run 8 of chain 6 while the otherlong pintles of the latforms 9 are connected with the left-ban run 15 ofchain 14. All the platforms are therefore connected to both chains 6 and14 so that as these chains are moved, for exam le, in the direction ofthe arrows indicate in Figure 1, the platforms will move verticallythroughout the tower, and at the upper and lower ends of the tower willmove transversely from one side to the other, and to permit thismovement all the ratchet wheels are formed with recesses 18 toaccommodate the pins 16.

' At the opposite diagonal corners, the

In addition to the chains 6 and 14 I provide at the front and rear ofthe tower or framework other endless chains 19 and 20. These chains arelonger than the chains 6 and 14 so that the outside runs are in the sameplane as the outside runs of the respective chains 6 and 14. The chains19 and 20 are mounted on s rocket wheels 21 which are fixed to turn witcertain of the sprocket wheels above referred to and are of the samesize as the other sprocket wheels so that all the chains move at thesame speed and in'the same direction.

As above stated, the platforms 9 have relatively long ins at theirdiagonally opposite corners w ich are in permanent engagement with therespective chains 6 and 114.

atforms 9 have relatively short pins 22 an the chains 19 and 20 areprovided with bifurcated brackets 23 located at proper intervals on thechains so that they engage the shorter ins 22 and provide a support forthe third corner of the platform.

The bifurcated brackets 23 permit engagementwith an disengagement fromthe shorter pins 22 so that while the shorter pin at one corner issupported as the latform moves upwardly thls pin is release and theshorter pin at the other corner is supported durin the downward movementof t 1e platform ut by the opposite long chain.

24 represents the ground or floor level, and it will be noted that myimproved parking device extends above and below this level but that anyplatform may be brought into line with the level so as to permit the carto move onto or off of the platform.

\Vhile the invention is, of course, not limited to any particular powertransmitting means to operate the device, I have illustrated in Figure 1a motor 25 which is connected by suitable chains or other flexibleconnecting devices 26 with certain of the sprocket wheel driving means,but I may vary the driving means and the control thereof to suitconditions.

Also in connection with my improved machine I provide an indicator 27 asillustrated diagrammatically in Figure 4. This indicator is a replica ona small scale of the parking device and is operated by any suitablemeans in synchronism therewith. have shown belts or chains 28 and 29operatively connecting the indicator with the arking device. The idea ofthe indicator is that it may contain symbols or any other indicatingmeans so that each car owner and also the operator of the parking devicewill know on ust what platform any particular caris located and he can,therefore, quickly bring that car to the floor or street level.

The operation of the parking machine is as follows: Assuming the cars,indicated by the reference numeral 30, to be upon the platforms and itis desired to move the platforms, m ot1on istransmitted to therespectlve chains from an suitable source of power and in any desireddirection, but we will assume for purposes of description that thechains are moved in the direction indicated by the arrows on therespective figures. As the platforms 9 at the right of Figure I reachthe top of the frame they will move to the left and then downwardly.During this shifting of position from right to left, the bifurcatedbracket 23 of the chain 19 will release the short in 22 at the corner ofthe platform, and a ifurcated bracket on the rear chain 20 will engagethe short pin at the diagonally opposite corner of the platform and ridewith it until the downward movement begins when it will support this inas indicated clearly in Figure 5. In ot er words, as the platforms movein one direction they are su ported at diagonally opposite corners bythe chains 6 and 14 and at another corner by one of the long chains 19or 20, so that at all times the platform is en ported at three points,but on one vertic movement the chain 19 functions as a support for theplatform and on the opposite movement the chain 20 functions as asupport for the platform.

It will thus be seen that with my improved parking device cars ma be runupon platforms which are level wit the ground or floor, as indicated at24, and then may be moved either up or down so as to bring otherlatforms into register with the floor, and

once a large number of automobiles may be su orted one above the otherand in paral e so that the weight of the cars will to a large degreebalance each other.

By reference particularly to Fi re 3 it will be noted that the pins 22,indicated at the point :0, are not supported during the transversemovement 0 the platforms 9. The other three pins are supported by therespective chains. These unsup orted pins, as their respective platformsbegin their downward movement, move into the supporting devices of thechain, as clearly indicated in Figure 5.

Various sli ht changes and alterations might be madi in thegeneral formof the parts described without departing from my I invention, and henceI do not limit myself to the precise details set forth but considermyself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairlyfall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine of the character described, comprising two endless flexiblesu ports, and platforms connected at diagona ly opposite corners to runsof the respective flexible supporting devices.

2. A machine of the character described, comprising a pair of endlesssprockets chains of the platform.

3', A machine of the character described,

comprising a frame, a air of endless chains located at opposite si es ofthe frame and at somewhat diagonal positions relative to each other,longer chains adjacent the firstmentioned chains, sprocket wheels suporting all of said chains, the runs of said chains being mainlyvertical, two vertical series of platforms connected at diagonallyopposite corners to runs of the first-mentioned chains, and means on thelonger chains adapted to removably engage the other corners of theplatform, and said sprocket wheels having recesses therein whereby thecoupling means between the platform and chains may pass over thesprocket wheels and permit the passage of the latforms from one verticalplane to anot er.

4. A machine of the character described, comprising two vertical seriesof platforms, means supporting the platforms and ermitting them to movefrom one vertica series into another and vice versa, an indicatorcomprising a miniature reproduction of the machine and operativelyconnected thereto, and means for moving the platforms.

5. A machine of the character described, comprising two endless sprocketchains and means for supporting and moving them, platforms connected atdiagonally opposite corners to runs of the respective chalns and movablevertically by the chains and also transversely by the chains from onevertical plane to another, and means operatively engaging a third cornerof each platform durmg the movement thereof vertically in eitherdirection.

JAMES E. MORTON.

of the platform.

3. A machine of the character described,

comprising a frame, a air of endless chains located at opposite si es ofthe frame and at somewhat diagonal positions relative to each other,longer chains adjacent the firstmentioned chains, sprocket wheels suporting all of said chains, the runs 0 said chains being mainlyvertical, two vertical series of platforms connected at diagonallyopposite corners to runs of the first-mentioned chains, and means on thelonger chains adapted to removably engage the other corners of theplatform, and said sprocket wheels having recesses therein whereby thecoupling means between the platform and chains may pass over thesprocket wheels and permit the passage of the latforms from one verticalplane to anot er.

4. A machine of the character described, comprising two vertical seriesof platforms, means supporting the platforms and permitting them to movefrom one vertical series into another and vice versa, an indicatorcomprising a miniature reproduction of the machine and operativelyconnected thereto, and means for moving the platforms.

5. A machine of the character described, comprising two endless sprocketchains and means for supporting and moving them, platforms connected atdiagonally opposite corners to runs of the respective chains and movablevertically by the chains and also transversely by the chains from onevertical plane to another, and means operatively engaging a third cornerof each platform during the movement thereof vertically in eitherdirection.

JAMES E. MORTON.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 1,555,692, grantedSeptember 29, 1925, upon the ap lication of James E. Morton, of WestLafayette, Indiana, for an improvement in H. McVeety, as assignee of theentire interest in Patentshould have been issued to the inventor, saidMorton and utomobile Parking Machines, were erroneously issued to Jamessaid invention, whereas said Letters James H. McVeety,

0/ Memphis, Tennessee, said McVeety being assignee of one-half interestonly in said invention, as shown by the records of assignments in thisoflice;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correctiontherein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of June, A. D. 1926.

[emu] M. J. MOORE, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 1,555,692, grantedSeptember 29, 1925, upon the ap lication of James E. Morton, of WestLafayette, Indiana, for an improvement in utomobile Parking Machines,were erroneously issued to James H. McVeet as assignee of the entireinterest in said invention, whereas said Letters Patentshould have beenissued to the inventor, said Morton and James 11. McVeety, of Hemp/n19,Tenmasee, said Mc'Veety being assignee of one-half interest only 111said invention, as shown by the records of assignments in this office;and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correctiontherein that the same may conform to the record of the case in 'thePatent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of June, A. D. 1926.

[ -1 M. J. MOORE,

Acting Commzkaioner of Patents.

